Modernist Islam

The Modernist Islamic movement was a major force in Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, generating tremendous intellectual ferment by attempting to reconcile Islamic faith and modern ideals. The movement pioneered the formation or reformation of educational institutions; agitation for political liberalization or decolonization; and the establishment of a periodical press throughout the Islamic world. This anthology brings the ideas of Modernist Islam to wider audiences than they have previously reached, particularly students of Islamic history and thought, who have relied previously on the handful of existing English translations; and academicians and Islamic thinkers, most of whom are familiar only with their region of specialty. The anthology also serves as a counterexample to the popular image of a permanent clash of civilizations between Islam and the West. Selected original-language texts are linked from the table of contents (below). More…

Chapters

* represents a selection previously published in English.
† represents a selection translated for this project.
(Original) indicates that the original-language text is available in a PDF file.